


When You Smile

by ephemeralstark



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Euphemisms, F/M, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Peter Parker is a Mess, Poor kids, Someone Help Them, Young Love, and awkward, mj thinks he's adorable, they're so cute, winter fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21937816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephemeralstark/pseuds/ephemeralstark
Summary: When MJ smiles at Peter his heart does somersaults in his chest and his brain short circuits as he tries to focus on anything other than how heartbreakingly pretty she is.Or, Peter just wants to decorate a Christmas tree with the girl he likes but unfortunately for him his crush is obvious to everyone
Relationships: Michelle Jones/Peter Parker
Comments: 8
Kudos: 127
Collections: Spideychelle Secret Santa - 2k19





	When You Smile

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KatieThelie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieThelie/gifts).



> This is a secret santa fic for @kittenkatsart on tumblr. You gave so many amazing suggestions and I was playing with this winter fluff idea for a while, so it seemed like a good match! I hope you enjoy!

“Please, Happy,” Peter pleaded as he stuck his head through the open partition, “you can't say anything embarrassing.”

“I don't care enough to bother trying, you do a good enough job yourself anyway.” Happy responded as he waved a rolled up newspaper in front of Peter’s nose causing air to waft in his face so he backed off. “Go get your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, and I am getting her.” Peter mumbled, but thanks to his nerves he couldn't bring himself to get out of the car. 

“Are you?” Happy asked. “Is that what you’re doing right now?” 

“Mhm,” Peter confirmed without getting out the car.

“Kid, go get her or  _ I’m  _ going to go get her and I’m sure she’d love to hear about your vacation movie tastes.” Happy threatened.

“Alright, alright!” Peter said quickly, throwing the car door open and clambering out into the snow covered street. 

He walked up the drive slowly, unable to stop himself from glancing back at Happy who gave him a sarcastic thumbs up. Despite the obvious mockery, Peter couldn't help but feel reassured, this was fine. It was just MJ. he’d known her for almost the same amount of time he’d known Ned, there was nothing to be nervous about. 

He tucked his fingers under the sleeve of his jacket and ran them over the concealed web shooters that lay hidden there, a habit he had picked up after the Vulture incident. He knew he was being dramatic, but he couldn't help but feel vaguely nauseous as he raised his hand and knocked three times on the door. 

Instantly it opened, flooding Peter in warm light, “‘sup, loser?” and just like that, Peter’s worries vanished and suddenly he forgot about cold that was seeping through his shoes, and the numbness in his toes, the cold seemed irrelevant in MJ’s warmth. 

“You ready?” Peter asked, his voice sounding embarrassingly breathless. 

“Are you saying I should change?” MJ asked, her mouth a flat line of disapprovement. 

“I- w-what?” Peter stammered out. “No, of course not, I would never tell you what to wear, that was unless you asked me to but like, why would you? I’m not even that good when it comes to fashion choices, obviously… I mean I wear nerdy t-shirts all the time like-”

“Wow, alright, I was kidding.” MJ said, stepping forward into Peter’s personal space, her perfume washing over him in an intoxicating wave of familiarity. 

Peter hadn't been lying to Happy, MJ wasn't his girlfriend, but oh how he wished she was. 

“So,” MJ said, thinking nothing of his silence, “what’s the plan?”

“Oh, um-” Peter’s voice was high and squeaked in a humiliating fashion, he cleared his throat, “Mr. Stark essentially gave us free run over tower for tonight, I was thinking we could put up the tree and make Christmas cookies. 

“Is it a real tree?” MJ asked. 

“Uh, I think so?” 

“Good, a lot of people buy the fake ones because they think they’re better for the environment since they’re reusable, but actually, they’re worse. They can't be recycled, so when it is time to get a new tree, they sit in a landfill. At least real trees provide some benefit while they’re growing.”

“Uh, yeah, exactly.” Peter said, they were reaching the car, he quickly loped forward a few steps and grabbed the door, pulling it open for MJ. 

She raised an eyebrow at him before sinking into the car gracefully, as he closed the door he realised that in his attempt to be polite may cause him greatly, he was leaving MJ and Happy alone together while he walked around the car. Realistically, he knew that there wasn't much Happy could say in those few seconds but still, as he climbed into the car, MJ shot him a knowing smirk that made him wonder if Happy knew about the time he’d wet the bed when he was fourteen. 

“Hey, Pete, I was just introducing myself,” Happy said with a grin that Peter didn't trust. 

“Were you?” He murmured, not believing Happy in the slightest. 

The drive was quick, but to Peter it seemed to drag on forever, he exchanged quiet conversation with MJ about their Chemistry project that was due after Christmas break, and hoped that Happy would keep his mouth shut about Peter’s ever growing crush on his friend. 

“Are we not picking up Ned?” Peter asked.

“Oh, no, he can't come.” MJ said quickly, too quickly, it made him suspicious.

“He didn't text me?” Peter mumbled in confusion, and slight betrayal. 

“It wasn't him, it was his mom, apparently he has a pretty bad case of the flu.”

Peter’s Spidey-sense thrummed unpleasantly in the back of his mind, something wasn't being said, and he was going to find out what it was. 

“-and then this loser decided to let Ned think up his own excuse, and he decided to say he was watching porn-” Happy choked on his breath at that, “-and that he had been on the phone to Peter because they were watching it together, which started a manhunt throughout the school for Peter because Ned said he was in another classroom to avoid a call home to Peter’s Aunt.”

“Kid…” Happy muttered. 

“Honestly, I think they would have been better off just admitting Peter is Spider-Man, maybe then they wouldn't have ended up with two months worth of detention.”

“I don't think I like you two any more,” Peter mumbled. 

“What are you on about?” Happy said, “I know for a fact you like-”

“Shut up!” Peter shouted quickly, before realising that he shouted a little too loud, “sorry, but please, Happy you promised.”

“I didn't actually promise anything.” Happy said quickly. “In fact, I purposefully didn't so that I could tell Michelle about the time when- HEY!”

Peter opened the door and jumped out the car. 

It wasn't as dramatic as it sounded, they had already pulled into Mr. Stark’s garage and Happy was driving slowly enough that a grandma could have stepped out, but the shock value of him doing it distracted Happy and MJ from whatever embarrassing thing he was about to reveal. 

“I told you to stop doing that!” Happy shouted as he wound the window down. “You’re going to give me a heart attack one day, Kid!” 

“Sorry Happy,” Peter said, not sounding at all sorry as the car drew to a stop and he pulled the door open for MJ to escape whatever mortifying tales Happy was preparing, before he closed the door behind his crush, he continued with a more genuine, “thanks for driving us.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Happy mumbled, waving off his thanks, “go on, before Tony comes out looking for you.”

“Oh, yeah,” Peter mumbled, without thinking he grabbed MJ’s hand and pulled her along beside him as he made his way into the tower, “come on, there’s so much I want to show you, so you know how my webbing dissolves in two hours, leaving behind no trace?”

“Mmm.” MJ hummed rather than answering, and Peter glanced back at her, realising that she was staring at their joined hands with a strange expression on her face. 

He dropped her hand quickly, as if it had burned him, “sorry,” he mumbled. 

“No.” MJ blurted out quickly, making Peter’s steps falter and causing him to stumble ungracefully. 

“Huh?”

“I mean, no, don't apologise,” MJ corrected with a shy smile, the kind that was so rare to see on her face that whenever it appeared his heart would beat so fast in his chest that he was worried she would hear, “I liked it.”

“Oh,” Peter mumbled blankly, his mind still distracted by that smile while it slowly started to take in her words, “oh, really?”

“Yeah, loser, why would I lie?” 

“I wasn’t saying that you would - lie that is - I was more meaning that there was-”

“You need to think less,” MJ said, taking hold of his hand, “you get far too wrapped up in your head, and that’s coming from me.” 

“I, uh, yeah,” Peter stammered, trying to commit the feeling of her warm fingers threading through his to memory. He hadn't even realised how comfortable another person’s hand could feel in his own until that moment. 

“So,” MJ said, pulling Peter’s attention back, “where is this tree we’re going to decorate?” 

“Oh!” Peter had forgotten about that. “Come on, it’s this way, I was thinking we could decorate it, make the cookies and while they’re baking I can show you my new web fluid.”

“Is this a new euphemism?” 

Peter groaned at the horrifyingly familiar voice and felt his cheeks burn. 

“Mr. Stark.” He whined, stretching out the vowel. 

“Hey Underoos, Happy told me you two had arrived,” Tony said with a smirk, Peter noticed that his mentor kept glancing down at the two joined hands, “just wanted to introduce myself early on, you know? It’s good to be polite.”

“Wouldn't want anyone thinking you’re rude, would we?” Peter asked sarcastically. 

“Now, now, Petey,” Tony said with a bone chilling grin, “I’d be careful if I were you, I do have all the baby monitor footage waiting to play, all it would take is a few words from myself.”

“No, no, no, please Mr. Stark, you can't do that to me.” Peter said quickly. 

“Baby monitor?” MJ asked, raising a brow.

“Ah, you must be Michelle?” Tony asked as though he had just seen her.

“Yes, and you’re Tony Stark.” MJ answered. 

“What?” Peter asked, “no grilling about whether he believes in global warming or if he is aware of his own impact on the environment?”

“Don't be silly, loser,” MJ muttered, “he’s a genius, of course he’s aware of global warming, he’s leading the world right now in clean energy production. I do have a question though?”

“Oh?” Tony asked, raising a brow.”

“How does it feel to meet strangers who know exactly who you are before you even have a chance to know they exist?” MJ asked with the intensity of a tie breaker question at the decathlon finals.

“Oh, uh, I wasn’t expecting that question,” Tony admitted. Peter was surprised for him to follow with a very open and honest answer, “It’s actually very unnerving and uncomfortable, it makes people think they have a right to know more about you because since your existence is public knowledge, then your private life should be too-” he paused for a moment before looking to Peter, “- I like her, she can stay. F.R.I., unlock the doors.”

“Mr. Stark!” Peter prostested. “You locked the doors?” 

“Had to make sure.” Tony said with a shrug before sauntering away.

“I’m so sorry,” Peter said quicky to MJ as he pulled her into the living area, where a large undecorated tree stood. 

“Don’t be,” MJ said, “he’s just looking out for you.”

“Is that what that was?” Peter muttered.

“It’s what it still is,” MJ said honestly. 

“What do you-” Peter’s mouth snapped shut and he listened carefully, catching the grating sound of clothes against paint. Mr. Stark was leaning against the wall outside the living area, listening to what was happening. “Mr. Stark!” 

“Sorry, sorry,” Tony said sticking his head through the door and holding his hands up, “alright, I promise I’m going this time, but really Pete, she’s good. It’s no wonder she figured out your secret.”

“He wasn't discreet.” MJ supplied. 

“Mr. Stark,” Peter pleaded. 

“Alright, alright, I’m going!” Tony said with a grin, “don’t do anything I wouldn't do and-”

“Yeah I know, don’t do anything you would.” 

“Grey area.” Tony confirmed. 

Just like that he was gone. 

“Alright,” MJ muttered as soon as she’d checked he really had left, “out with it.” 

“Out with what?” Peter asked, pulling tinsel out of a box. 

“Why are you so worried someone is going to say something to me?”

“Say what?” Peter asked trying to evade her question. 

“I don’t know,” MJ admitted, “but you seem really on edge.”

“I’m not on edge,” Peter said slowly, “I just- there- I’m-”

“Alright, calm down Spider-Dork.” MJ said, taking the tinsel out of his hands and holding them gently in her own. “Do you want me to go?”

“What?” Peter asked, his head shooting up and eyes meeting hers.

“Having me here? Is it weird? Like mixing your normal life and your secret life together?” MJ asked.

“No, no, no,” Peter stammered out, not weird at all, I love you being here.” Peter confessed. 

“Then what is it?” MJ asked. 

Peter opened his mouth, ready to explain, when something else poured out. 

“You’re pretty.”

“Oh,” MJ said, that small shy smile appearing again.

“Yeah, and last week when we all went to the park for hot chocolate and it started snowing, I kept watching how the would land on you and you looked really pretty,” Peter continued, unable to stop the words from falling from his mouth, “and when the sun is shining, your eyes look like someone has mixed melted chocolate and honey together… it’s pretty.”

“Peter…”

“And it's pretty cool that you’re smarter than me and taller than me and-”

“Peter.” MJ cut him off. 

“Sorry, I’m… sorry.”

“I think you’re pretty too.” MJ said, surprising him. 

“I- wait, really?” 

“Yeah, and you’re smart, and a really good person.” MJ said. “Ned doesn’t have the flu, he offered to stay home so I could ask you out, because I think I like you… a lot.”

“I think I like you a lot too,” Peter said with a grin. 

“Cool,” MJ stammered, letting go of Peter’s hands in favour of shoving a handful of tinsel into them, “you do the top of the tree since you can hang off the ceiling.”

“Wait, what?” Peter asked in confusion. “We were-”

“Having a moment, I know,” MJ said, “now come on and decorate this tree, so we can make cookies and I can see my boyfriend’s new web fluid.”

Peter didn't think he would ever stop smiling, he liked the sound of being MJ’s boyfriend. He had a girlfriend. They were  _ together.  _

“That better  _ not _ be a euphemism!” Tony shouted from behind a different closed door. 

At least he got a girlfriend before he died of embarrassment. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, feel free to let me know what you thought here or on tumblr @[ephemeralstark](https://ephemeralstark.tumblr.com/), and if you liked, check out some of my other fics!


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